It's a joke... isn't it! You won't have to pay penny to Parkmaven. Did you buy the car from WeBuyAnyCar.com? If so, I doubt that they are the contractor for Parkmaven at that car park.
Try the managing agent of that building. Whoever contracted Parkmaven is jointly and severally liable for the actions of their agent.
You say you appealed. Did you also appeal to POPLA? What did you put in your appeal?
When you paid for the car, did you use cash or a card? If you used a card, either physically, in which case you should have a receipt with the tie on it or else if you used ApplePay or similar, you will have the time you made the purchase recorded. You already say that the DVLA gave you the time the registration was made, so why didn't you use that in your appeal?
Can you please show the back of the Notice to Keeper (NtK) you received so that we can check the wording for PoFA compliance.
As you are in the military and do not receive correspondence at your registered home address because you are frequently away on base for long periods, you should address this situation carefully to avoid parking charge notices escalating. There are some practical steps you should take to manage correspondence from parking operators like this.
As the Keeper you can update your vehicle's registered address with the DVLA to a more suitable "Care of" (c/o) address where you will reliably receive post, such as a trusted family member's address. This ensures that you receive parking correspondence in a timely manner.
This is easily done and you only have to complete the V5C logbook with a new correspondence address. The DVLA allows military personnel to use an alternative address for correspondence if they are frequently away from their registered home address. This reduces the risk of missing important letters, such as a Notice to Keeper (NtK) or court claim forms.
You (or a representative) should immediately notify Parkmaven that you are in the military and cannot receive correspondence at your registered address. You should provide an alternative contact address or tell them to use email for all future communications. Many operators now accept correspondence via email.
Even if this results in a county court claim (likely) it is very easily defended and they will eventually discontinue. They are simply hoping you are low-hanging fruit on the gullible tree and will pay them once they try to litigate. The only issue is that you will have deadlines to respond to any claim.
I suggest you notify Parkmaven of your military status and your inability to timely receive correspondence at the registered address. Request that any legal intention to issue a claim is communicated via alternative methods, such as through a trusted third-party address or email (even if the claim itself cannot be sent via email). Invoke CPR 7.8 and the Overriding Objective to encourage Parkmaven to act fairly by taking into account your unique circumstances.
Here is a suggested letter to Parkmaven:
Subject: Notification of Military Status and Request for Alternative Contact Methods
Dear Sir/Madam,
RE: [Parking Charge Notice Reference Number]
I am writing to notify you that I, [Keeper's Name], the registered Keeper of the vehicle with registration number [Vehicle Reg. No.], am currently an active-duty member of the Armed Forces. As such, I am frequently away on military duty and cannot reliably receive correspondence at my registered home address.
Due to the nature of my service, I am often stationed on military bases without regular internet access or the ability to check my post within standard timeframes. I am therefore concerned that any legal proceedings initiated by your company, including a County Court Claim, may not be received in time to allow me to respond, resulting in a default judgment being entered against me unfairly.
I request that you update your records accordingly and ensure that any notification of your intention to issue legal proceedings is communicated to me via [alternative address/email address/third-party contact]. This request is made to ensure that I am able to respond appropriately to any legal action and to avoid the risk of a default County Court Judgment being entered against me.
This request is reasonable and in line with your obligations under CPR 7.8 and the Overriding Objective of the Civil Procedure Rules to deal with cases fairly and proportionately, taking into account the circumstances of the parties. Failure to take reasonable steps to accommodate this request may result in a claim for improper service if a default judgment is entered against me without my knowledge.
Please confirm receipt of this letter and your agreement to update your records accordingly.
Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]
[Your Military Rank (optional)]
The legal basis for the letter are:
• Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) 7.8 – Notification of Claim. CPR 7.8 requires claimants to give notice when they are intending to serve a claim, particularly when there is a known issue with service at the defendant’s usual address.
• CPR 1.1 – The Overriding Objective - The overriding objective of the CPR is to ensure that cases are dealt with justly, fairly, and proportionately. If the claimant is aware of the defendant’s military status, they must take reasonable steps to ensure the defendant is properly informed.
• Defence of Improper Service under CPR 6.9 - If a claim form is served to an address where the defendant cannot reasonably be expected to receive it, the defendant can argue that service was improper under CPR 6.9.
I hope that the above is enough for you to be going on with. You will never pay a penny to Parkmaven but, with your circumstances of being in the military, you need to make sure that any communication regarding litigation is received promptly in order to prevent them getting a CCJ by default.
A default CCJ is easily set aside but it is just another PITA to have to go through the process and is best avoided.
